The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of torenia plant obtained from the mutant of "Sunrenibu" which was obtained from crossing of "Crown Mix" (.female.) and "Con Color" (.male.).
The torenia is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the torenia plant which have a semi-erect growth habit, a high resistance to heat and diseases. And the torenia plant needs full sunshine and hardly grows and has flowers in the shade of trees. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a great profusion of flowers, very big flower, light purple, deep purple and vivid purple bi-color flower petal with light purple floral tube, semi-erect growth habit, a high resistance to heat and diseases, and growing and having flowers ordinarily in the shade of trees.
The new variety of torenia plant according to this invention originated from the mutant of a spontaneously generic variant of "Sunrenibu" (U.S. Application. Ser. No. 559,853) which we previously filed. The new variety of torenia plant was discovered in view of large diameter flower during propagation of "Sunrenibu" in April, 1995. The discovered torenia plant was propagated by cutting from summer, 1995 and then grown in bed and pot on trial from summer, 1995 at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The botanical characteristics of the plant was examined, using parent variety, "Sunrenibu" and the similar variety "Crown Violet", for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this discovered torenia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, sufficiently uniform and stable in its characteristics, then this new variety of torenia plant was named "Sunrenilabu".
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The mutant parent variety "Sunrenibu" of this new variety "Sunrenilabu" is presently planted and maintained at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Sunrenibu" are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Medium resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance to cold. The plant grows and has flowers ordinarily in the shade of trees. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Low resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance to cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance of cold.
Growth habit.--Semi-erect. The stems hang down pliantly when potted in a hanging pot. PA2 Plant height.--15-20 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. The stem extends to length of 70 cm from the base. PA2 Growth.--Medium branching, a great profusion of blooms; the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable this period of time. PA2 Blooming period.--June to November in the southern Kanto area, Japan. The plant shape does not change throughout this period. PA2 Diameter.--2.0mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--4-6 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Serrate. PA2 Length.--1.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Light Purple (R.H.S. 92B, JHS 8303). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color, Vivid purple (R.H.S. 89B, JHS 8607). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Absent. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 2.0-3.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium. PA2 Growth habit.--Erect. PA2 Plant height.--20-30 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--30-50 cm. PA2 Diameter.--3.0mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Few. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--1-3 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Serrate. PA2 Length.--2.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Deep. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Soft violet (R.H.S. 92C, JHS 8008). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color; purplish white (R.H.S. 62D, JHS 8001). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Present. Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 17C, JHS 2507). PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium. PA2 Growth habit.--Decumbent. PA2 Plant height.--10-15 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.5 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Many. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--4-6 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Crenate. PA2 Length.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Moderate Purple (R.H.S. 83B, JHS 8613). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color, Deep purple (R.H.S. 89C, JHS 8311). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Absent. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium.
This new variety, "Sunrenibu" of torenia plant is most suitable for flower bedding and potting, particularly in hanging pots or planters.
The similar variety "Crown Violet" of this new variety "Sunrenilabu" is one of the Crown Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Crown Series include a plant having purplish blue flower petals, white flower petals, bi-color of white and purplish blue and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are on the market in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Crown Violet" are as follows.
"Con Color" used as the male parent in the crossing of "Sunrenibu", which is this new variety mutant parent, is one of the Con Color Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Con Color Series include a plant having violet flower petal, bi-color of storing purple and Pale purple and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are on the market in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Con Color" are as follows.